Iran showcases new ballistic missile during military parade

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addressed Friday's parade in Tehran, saying that Iran would not halt its missile programme and would continue to boost military capabilities, despite USA warnings and demands.

Iran said on Saturday it had successfully tested a new ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) and would keep developing its arsenal despite US pressure to stop.

Shortly after Iran unveiled its newest ballistic missile in a military parade on Friday, Tehran test-fired the weapon, broadcasting the launch on public television.

Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, earlier told the parade that Iran would not stop boosting its military and Iran had complied with a deal with world powers that ended its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. If you have noticed we haven't put up a paywall unlike many news organisations, - as we want to keep our journalism open.

Washington has called on Tehran not to get involved in activities linked to nuclear missiles. "We will promote our defensive and military power as much as we deem necessary".

"We will strengthen our navy, air and ground forces as well as missiles". "We seek no one's permission to defend our land".

The missile is named as Khorramshahr missile, and it has a range of 1,250 miles and is able to carry multiple warheads.

"Rouhani is putting down a strong marker that Iran's missile programs are not on the negotiating table", he adds.

The broadcaster gave no date for the test although officials had said on Friday that it would be tested "soon".

President Trump said Tuesday, speaking at the United Nation General Assembly that a "small group of rogue regimes" are bent on "death and destruction".

That makes them only medium-range but still sufficient to reach Israel or United States bases in the Gulf. It stresses the importance of finding diplomatic solutions to ensure that Iran's nuclear program was developed exclusively for peaceful purposes.

This week, Trump left his allies in the lurch by announcing that he has made a decision on his country's participation in the nuclear agreement signed with Iran in 2015, a pact that, according to his government, has clearly not met their expectations.